BRAND HISTORY TAG Heuer was founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in St-Imier, Switzerland. Synonymous with sports timekeeping, the company has introduced a number of pioneering innovations since the late 19th century, including chronographs for both instrument panel dashboards and wrists, the first stopwatches accurate to 1/100th of a second, the first automatic chronographs, and the belt-driven Calibre V movement. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORYTudor Watch Company was established by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 as a diffusion brand of sorts, offering a similar style and quality of timepieces as Rolex, but at a more affordable price point by using ETA-based movements instead of in-house calibres. Since 2010, Tudor started forging a more distinct identity, enabled by the creation of several best-selling, sports-inspired lines such as the Heritage Chronograph, Pelagos, Ranger, and Black Bay. In 2015, Tudor made yet another important stride towards horological prominence with the debut of its first in-house movement, the automatic-winding, COSC-certified MT6521. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORYPatek Philippe was founded in 1839 as Patek, Czapek & Cie, by Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek. The company’s most famous innovations include the world’s smallest watch in 1850, the first Swiss wristwatch with a baguette movement and yellow gold bracelet, and the world-renowned Henry Graves Supercomplication which sold for US$11million at a 1999 auction. Find out more about the brand here.

BRAND HISTORY In 1875, Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet established what is today the oldest watch manufacturer to still be in the hands of its founding families. After the pair passed away, their sons, Paul-Louis Audemars and Paul-Edward Piguet took over the business and continued producing revolutionary pieces like the world’s thinnest pocket watch movement and the first ever skeleton pocket watch. Today, the company continues to produce its movements in-house and is considered one of the big three Swiss watch manufactures, boasting three production sites and a workshop specialising in watch repairs for pieces that are 200 years old. Read more here.

BRAND HISTORY Established in 1892, the American brand’s story began in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1912, the company sent accurate watches to those working on the railroads as accidents were very common during that time. The pocket watches then became known as ‘The watch of railroad accuracy’. Two years later, Hamilton started supplying timepieces to the US Armed Forces, and by the 1930s, Hamilton was the official timekeeper of choice for commercial airlines in the United States. The brand is also famous for its appearance in movies like Men In Black and Interstellar, and is the biggest supplier of watch props to the Hollywood movie industry. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Hublot was founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco, an Italian entrepreneur. The brand was famous for pairing rubber straps with porthole-shaped metal cases. The straps, made of natural rubber and which seemed to regenerate when in contact with the skin, were revolutionary for its time, and quickly became a Hublot trademark. In 2004, marketing extraordinaire Jean-Claude Biver assumed the role of CEO and transformed the brand with a new flagship collection—the Big Bang. It took off immediately, winning accolades and skyrocketing sales figures for the brand. Today, it remains the most iconic collection of the brand. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY A marriage of American and Swiss heritage, the International Watch Company was founded in 1868 by Boston watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen. In 1936, the first Special Pilot’s Watch was launched, featuring a rotating bezel with an arrowhead index and antimagnetic escapement. Three years later, the famous Portuguese watch (now known as the Portugieser) was unveiled with a 74-calibre hunter pocket watch movement in a wristwatch case. In 2000, IWC was acquired by the Richemont group, which it remains with till the present day. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORYJaeger-LeCoultre’s history can be traced back to the 16th century, although its horological lineage started officially in 1833, when founder Pierre LeCoultre’s descendant, Antoine, invented a machine that could fashion watch pinions from steel and subsequently conceived the Millionometre and keyless winding system. In 1937, Antoine’s grandson, Jacques-David, collaborated with a French watchmaker, Edmond Jaeger, to develop and produce ultra-thin movements that the latter had invented. The founders’ spirit of innovation and technical excellence has defined the company to this day. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Longines was founded in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz, and has been based in Saint-Imier since its establishment. The company came into prominence in 1867, the year it debuted its first in-house movement the 20A, which won an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris the same year. Known for its range of refined mid-luxury timepieces, as well as involvement as official timekeeper in numerous sports, including gymnastics, tennis and equestrian sports, the company is now part of the Swatch Group. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Swiss marque Omega’s story started in La Chaux-de-Fonds with watchmaker Louis Brandt in 1848. Since then, the brand has gone on to be the official timekeeper for the Olympic Games since 1932. Its Speedmaster Professional Chronograph also gained prominence as the first watch on the moon, famously worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. One of the brand’s most notable productions is its co-axial escapement, said to reduce friction in the movement and require less lubrication, thus increasing precision and accuracy. In popular culture, Omega has featured significantly in James Bond movies, having been 007’s timepiece of choice since 1995. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Although based in Switzerland, Officine Panerai’s roots are in Florence where Giovanni Panerai started it in 1860 as a watchmaker’s shop as well as the city’s first watchmaking school. In 1916, they patented their creation, Radiomir, a radium-based luminescent powder employed in their watches. Later, a new substance, Luminor, replaced Radiomir and a new collection of watches was named after it, characterised by the now-iconic crown protector, cushion case, flatter bezel and signature sandwich dial. Today, the brand has its workshop in Neuchâtel, along with the rest of the big players in the watch industry—testament to how far it’s come since the days of its founder Giovanni Panerai. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Founded in 1920 in Geneva by Hans Wilsdorf, Montres Rolex S.A. is one of the most well-known watch manufacturers in the world today. The company is known for pioneering timepieces like the Oyster — the world’s first waterproof wristwatch which was equipped with a patented system comprising a screw-down bezel, caseback and winding crown. Other innovations down the line include the Cyclops lens and Parachrom hairspring, as well as materials like Cerachrom and Everose gold—their proprietary blend of rose gold. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORYSeiko’s history dates back to 1881, when its founder Kintaro Hattori opened his first shop selling jewellery and watches in Tokyo. The company is credited with making Japan’s first wristwatch when it debuted the Laurel in 1912. Among the brand’s key milestones include the Astron from 1969, one of the earliest production quartz watch collections – a development that almost wiped out the Swiss mechanical watch trade in the 1970s. More about the brand here.

BRAND HISTORYIn 1853, father-and-son team, Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Emile Tissot founded the shop we know today as Tissot. Back then, it comprised a network of specialised but independent workers who produced the different watch parts which were then assembled in pocket, pendant or complication watches and sold at the shop. Towards the end of 1917, the company became a manufacture with the production of movement blanks, and later merged with Omega to form the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH)—Switzerland’s first watchmaking association. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Breitling was founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling, who started a workshop specialising in pocket watch chronographs and precision counters. His son, Gaston, later took over the company and introduced several pioneering innovations like the first chronograph wristwatch in 1915, and improvements to the complication such as an independent chronograph pusher and return-to-zero pusher. It was also during Gaston’s tenure that Breitling began forging ties with the world of aviation, resulting in close-knit partnerships that continue to define Breitling and inspire its timepieces to this day. Find out more here.

BRAND HISTORY Based in Switzerland’s Les Breuleux, the Richard Mille brand was established by its eponymous founder in 1999 with Audemars Piguet as one of its shareholders. The latter’s luxury watchmaking division, Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi makes some of Richard Mille’s most complicated movements. Richard Mille’s watches combine technical innovation with architecture and artistry, and is known for its many collaborations with sports personalities like Rafael Nadal, Felipe Massa and Bubba Watson, creating and naming timepieces for them. Read more here.

BRAND HISTORYSwiss watchmaker Omega’s story started in La Chaux-de-Fonds with watchmaker Louis Brandt in 1848. His two sons, Louis Paul and César, later developed an innovative technique which allowed watch parts to be interchangeable. These were then sold under the Omega name, part of the La Generale Watch Company. Omega later became its own company in 1903.

Since then, the brand has gone on to be the official timekeeper for Britain’s Royal Flying Corps in 1917, as well as for the Olympic Games since 1932. The Omega Speedmaster Professional Chronograph was the first watch on the moon, famously worn by astronaut Buzz Aldrin. In popular culture, Omega also gained prominence in James Bond movies, having been 007’s timepiece of choice since 1995.

One of the brand’s most notable productions is its co-axial escapement, invented by English watchmaker George Daniels in 1974 and later acquired by Omega. The innovation is said to reduce friction in the movement and require less lubrication, thus increasing precision and accuracy. In 1999, Omega introduced its first timepiece featuring the co-axial escapement with their own Calibre 2500 in a timepiece from the DeVille collection.

KEY WATCHES

Speedmaster

Originally designed in 1957 as a racing chronograph, the Speedmaster has come to be associated with space exploration, thanks to its moon landing. Since then, the “Moonwatch” has been the most popular and most sought-after collection.

Seamaster

Produced since 1948, this dive collection comprises both self-winding and quartz models and has expanded to include the Planet Ocean, Aqua Terra, Diver, Bullhead and Ploprof collections.

Constellation

Launched in 1982, the Constellation line features iconic horizontal links and a Constellation star at six o’clock. The ladies’ range, introduced in 2009, is a signature of the brand and the most popular collection for women.

BRAND HISTORYIn 1875, Jules Audemars and Edward Piguet established what is today the oldest watch manufacturer to still be in the hands of its founding families. Both in their early 20s, the duo first created complex movements which they first sold to luxury watch manufacturers. Later, they decided to produce and sell their own watches and officially founded Audemars Piguet et Cie in Le Brassus 1881, starting with fob watches, perpetual calendars and minute repeaters.

After the pair passed away, their sons, Paul-Louis Audemars and Paul-Edward Piguet took over the business and continued producing revolutionary pieces like the world’s thinnest pocket watch movement and the first ever skeleton pocket watch.

This marked the beginning of many firsts for the company—the first minute repeater, wristwatch with perpetual calendar, self-winding ultra-thin wristwatch with dual time zone, and many more, including the world’s first watch made with moss agate.

Today, the company continues to produce its movements in-house and is considered one of the big three Swiss watch manufactures, alongside Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. They boast three production sites and a workshop specialising in watch repairs for pieces that are 200 years old.

KEY WATCHES

Royal Oak

Designed by Gerald Genta in 1972, the Royal Oak redefined luxury sports watches with its stainless steel body, octagonal bezel and hexagonal screws. Its dial features a traditional ‘tapisserie’ pattern.

Royal Oak Offshore

Royal Oak Offshore An even sportier version of the Royal Oak, this collection debuted in 1993 with a more masculine look and feel. A larger 42mm case and pushpiece-guards fitted to its side offer a dynamic appea

Millenary

Conceived in 1995, the Millenary boasts a trademark oval case, an off-centred dial and a three-dimensional look at the calibre within. Horology is fused with art in this collection as the beautifully crafted mechanisms are revealed on the dial.

BRAND HISTORYFounded in 1920 in Geneva by Hans Wilsdorf, Montres Rolex S.A. is one of the most well-known watch manufacturers in the world today. The name “Rolex” was chosen because Wilsdorf wanted a brand that could be easily pronounced in any language and would not be more than five letters. He also wanted something easy to remember and that would look elegant inscribed on the dial and movement of a watch.

The company is also known for pioneering timepieces like the Oyster — the world’s first waterproof wristwatch which was equipped with a patented system comprising a screw-down bezel, caseback and winding crown. Other innovations down the line include the Cyclops lens and Parachrom hairspring, as well as materials like Cerachrom and Everose gold—their proprietary blend of rose gold.

In 2015, the company introduced a new in-house certification for all its timepieces with criteria more stringent than that of regular watchmaking standards. Each “Superlative Chronometer” guarantees precision after casing of -2/+2 seconds per day, more than twice that required of an official chronometer, making it just one of the many high standards Rolex holds itself to.

KEY WATCHES

Cellini

Long overshadowed by its Oyster case brethren, the Cellini is that other, dressier half of the Rolex's dual-range catalogue, with the Cellini Prince dating back to the 1920s. The Cellini bears the distinction of being the first mass-produced watch to gain a chronometer certification, when a batch of 500 chronometers were produced for King George V's Silver Jubilee in 1936.

Cosmograph Daytona

The Cosmograph was introduced in 1963, with the tachymeter scale for measuring speed engraved upon the bezel. 'Daytona' would be inscribed upon the dial the following year to mark Rolex's sponsorship of the 24 Hours of Daytona endurance race held at Daytona Beach, Florida. The signature screw-down chronograph pushers came a year later, to prevent unintended activation of the chronograph.

Datejust

Introduced in 1945, it was the first wristwatch to feature a date aperture. The original model displayed even numbered dates in red and odd numbered dates in black. In 1955, Rolex introduced instantaneous date change at midnight, along with the Cyclops lens over the date window offering 2.5x magnification.

Explorer

Intended for adventurers, the Explorer is one of the best loved in the Rolex catalogue. Introduced in 1953, it is based on the watch supplied to Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in their first successful ascent of Mount Everest. Rolex followed up with the Explorer II in 1971, sporting a 24-hour hand, which helped the wearer distinguish day and night hours when read off the fixed graduated bezel.

Milgauss

The Milgauss was introduced in 1956 as an anti-magnetic watch aimed at scientists and engineers and designed to run true in high-tech environments like power plants, medical facilities and research laboratories, where strong magnetic fields present could throw a watch off time. Discontinued in 1988, it was brought back in 2007, featuring improved antimagnetic performance.

Submariner

Rolex's first waterproof watch dates back to the Oyster of 1926, made famous the following year by Mercedes Gleitze who swam across the English Channel with it. It wasn't till 1953 that Rolex created its own dive watch: the Submariner, made popular through its appearance in early James Bond movies, particularly those starring Sean Connery.

BRAND HISTORYPatek Philippe was founded in 1839 as Patek, Czapek & Cie, by Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek. In 1845, Patek, Czapek & Cie became Patek & Cie when the former was liquidated and Jean Adrien Philippe, a French watchmaker who invented the keyless winding and hand-setting system, was invited to join the company. Five years later, the company unveiled the smallest watch at that time, No. 3503—a four-inch pocket watch, at the Great Exhibition in London. That same year, the company was renamed Patek, Philippe & Cie.

The company produced its first pocket watch with a tourbillon, No. 25 298, in 1863, as well as a patented “slipping spring”, invented by Philippe. Perhaps one of the brand’s most famous early watches is the first Swiss wristwatch with a baguette movement paired with a yellow gold bracelet. The watch was sold to the Hungarian Countess Koscowicz. In 1902, the company was awarded a patent for its first double chronograph. Among Patek Philippe’s most notable watches include the world’s most expensive watch, ‘The Graves’ supercomplication pocket watch, which sold for US$11million at an auction in 1999; the Nautilus, one of the pioneers in the luxury sports watch category; and the Ladies First collection, a line of technical timepieces made exclusively for women.

In 1932, Jean and Charles Henri Stern owners of a fine dial manufacture in Geneva, invested in the company and it would remain in the family’s hands to this day with fourth-generation Stern, Thierry, at the helm since 2009. The manufacture also has its own proprietary quality assessment, the Patek Philippe Seal, governed by strict regulations and applicable to the entire timepiece. It is the only seal in the industry, which guarantees lifetime maintenance of any Patek Philippe watch in the world.

KEY WATCHES

Calatrava

Created the year the Sterns invested in the company, the Calatrava collection remains one of the definitive models of the manufacture. Featuring sleek lines and a classic appeal, the watches are available in different iterations; from extra thin to world time, chronographs and ladies’ models.

Nautilus

Introduced in 1976, the Nautilus design was based on the shape of a ship’s porthole. The original model, Ref. 3700/1, was created in steel and became a classic sports watch that remains one of the most coveted models at auctions.

Twenty~4

Catered to the ladies, the Twenty~4 was launched in 1999 as a contemporary version of the Gondolo model. Its curved silhouette and signature integrated bracelet and rows of diamonds on either side of the dial make it a distinctly feminine timepiece.

BRAND HISTORY Although based in Switzerland, Officine Panerai’s roots are in Florence where Giovanni Panerai started it in 1860 as a watchmaker’s shop as well as the city’s first watchmaking school. In 1916, they patented their creation, Radiomir, a radium-based luminescent powder employed in their watches, especially useful as they supplied the Italian navy with timekeeping instruments. 1949 saw the patent of a new substance, Luminor, which replaced Radiomir. A new collection of watches was named after it in 1950, characterised by the now-iconic crown protector, cushion case and flatter bezel.

The brand also famously introduced the concept of the sandwich dial where a base layer is applied with a luminescent substance, then finished with a top layer which has cut out numerals and indexes to reveal the luminous layer below.

In 1997, the Vendôme Group (now known as the Richemont Group) acquired the brand and launched it into the international fine watchmaking market with the Luminor and Luminor Marina. Eight years later, the brand introduced its first in-house movement, the self-winding P.2002 with GMT function and eight-day power reserve. Today, the brand has its workshop in Neuchâtel, along with the rest of the big players in the watch industry—testament to how far it’s come since the days of its founder Giovanni Panerai.

KEY WATCHES

Radiomir

Named after the radium-based substance created by Panerai for the Italian navy, the first Radiomir was created in 1936. It is characterised by a large cushion-shaped steel case housing luminescent numerals and indexes, with wire lugs and a self-winding movement.

Radiomir 1940

Like the Radiomir, this collection has the same case shape but the lugs are made from the same block of steel as the case. The edges of the case are more pronounced and the crown is cylindrical, rather than conical.

Luminor

In 1950, Panerai developed the Luminor, which used a new patented luminescent substance. The collection is characterised by the crown-protecting bridge, reinforced wire lugs from the same block of steel as the cushion-shaped case, and a flatter, wider bezel.

BRAND HISTORYFounded in 1946 by an engineer named Tadao Kashio, Casio’s first breakthrough product was a finger ring cigarette holder. Known as the ‘yubiwa pipe’, it became so successful that the profits helped propel the company’s future as an electronic goods manufacturer.

Starting with electronic calculators in the early 1950s, Casio quickly branched out into different product categories, which included musical keyboards, digital clocks and digital cameras. Its first venture into wristwatches came by way of the G-Shock in 1983. The watch became a worldwide phenomenon for its incorporation of ultra-precise quartz technology with super-robust functionality, anchored by a ‘Triple 10’ performance concept – 10-bar water resistance, 10-year battery life, and shock-resistance that can withstand a 10-metre drop.

The success of the G-Shock was significant not just to Casio, but also the narrative of modern watchmaking. The popularity of affordable and precise quartz watches during the 1980s almost obliterated the Swiss watch industry, which produced mostly mechanical watches. Today, the legacy of the G-Shock has endured and flourished, establishing Casio as a bona fide producer of electronic timepieces with a well-established repertoire including collections like the Sheen and Edifice.

KEY WATCHES

G-Shock

Conceived in 1983 by the G-Shock revolutionised modern watchmaking. The first model was the DW500 (pictured), which could survive a 10-metre fall.

MR-G

Introduced in 1996, the MR-G is an evolved version of the G-Shock, housed in a titanium case to make it “a truly anti-shock metal G-Shock”.

Sheen

A refined collection for women, Sheen comes in a variety of models, including three-hand variants, chronographs, and style-infused options with coloured straps.

Edifice

Edifice is Casio’s launch pad for cutting-edge technologies in digital horology. The collection typically features analogue dials with state-of-the-art electronics.

BRAND HISTORYHublot was founded in 1980 by Carlo Crocco, an Italian entrepreneur. The brand was famous for pairing rubber straps with porthole-shaped metal cases. The straps, made of natural rubber and which seemed to regenerate when in contact with the skin, were revolutionary for its time – it was a proprietary innovation that took three years to create, and quickly became a Hublot trademark.

In 2003, marketing extraordinaire Jean-Claude Biver met Crocco and both men hit it off instantly. Crocco was looking for someone who could take over the helm of Hublot and within a year, Biver assumed the role as CEO.

Hublot underwent a resurgence under Biver’s charge. For a start, he crystallised the brand’s ethos of experimentation and knack for combining materials with the ‘Art of Fusion’ concept. At the same time, Biver created a new flagship collection called the Big Bang, which accentuated the distinctive porthole design, the metal case-and-rubber strap combination, as well as expressed a sporty and flamboyant personality. The Big Bang collection took off immediately, winning watchmaking accolades and sending sales figures rocketing for Hublot with a three-fold increase from the previous year.

In 2008, the luxury conglomerate, LVMH Group, acquired Hublot. Today, the brand is led by CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, who previously worked closely alongside Biver and was the general manager of the brand.

KEY WATCHES

Big Bang Unico

Launched in 2013, the Big Bang UNICO marked a turning point in Hublot’s ascent in high-end watchmaking. Anchored by the brand’s distinctive porthole-style design and rubber straps, the watch housed the HUB 1242 automatic flyback chronograph movement with column-wheel, which is significant as it is the first movement that is fully conceived and constructed in-house by Hublot.

Masterpiece MP-5 ‘La Ferrari’

One of the most complex and unusual timepieces from Hublot, the Masterpiece MP-5 ‘La Ferrari’ took the watchmaking world by storm with its unconventional design and extraordinary technical features. Its 637-part movement houses a tourbillon at the bottom and 11 linearly arranged barrels to guarantee 50 days of power reserve. Time is being displayed via rotating cylinders flanking the barrels.

Big Bang Broderie

Hublot's courtship of women, which started with its first ladies’ collection in 2008, was recognised in 2015, when it won the ‘Best Ladies Watch Award at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie Geneve for the Big Bang Broderie. Created in collaboration with Bischoff Textil, a traditional Swiss embroidery company, the watch features intricate needlework on the dial, bezel and rubber strap.

Classic Fusion

Launched in 2010, the Classic Fusion collection offers a refined take on Hublot’s sports-inspired aesthetic. Keeping with the porthole-shaped case and rubber straps, the Classic Fusion features a slimmer profile and less aggressive lines compared to the Big Bang – a dress watch-style alternative in Hublot’s repertoire. Pictured here is the Classic Fusion 8-Day Power Reserve.

What is SIHH?Into its 27th edition, the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) is the first major horological fair held each year with exhibitors from 17 historic marques and 13 independent brands. Held in Geneva, the fair attracts approximately 15,000 industry professionals each year and, for the first time, will open its doors to the public on the final day this year.

BRAND HISTORYIn 1853, father-and-son team, Charles-Félicien Tissot and Charles-Emile Tissot founded the shop we know today as Tissot. Back then, it comprised a network of specialised but independent workers who produced the different watch parts which were then assembled in pocket, pendant or complication watches and sold at the shop.

Towards the end of 1917, the company became a manufacture with the production of movement blanks, and later merged with Omega to form the Société Suisse pour l’Industrie Horlogère (SSIH)—Switzerland’s first watchmaking association.

When the quartz crisis hit in the 1970s, the late Nicolas G. Hayek suggested the main groups of watchmakers merge. SSIH, together with ASUAG (the group of movement and component blanks manufacturers), combined to form the Swiss Corporation for Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industries Ltd, later known as The Swatch Group in 1998.

KEY WATCHES

T-Touch Expert Solar

The first tactile watch powered by solar energy, it features a solar quartz movement with 20 tactile essential functions for everyday use, including a compass and log book.

Chemin des Tourelles

Named after a street in Le Locle where the Tissot manufacture was established and still resides today, the watch boasts a contemporary design with an elegant case in different finishes.

PRS 516

Designed in homage to race cars, the PR 516 references the steering wheel with its holes in the watch strap while pushers resemble the pistons of a car engine.

BRAND HISTORYA marriage of American and Swiss heritage, the International Watch Company was founded in 1868 by Boston watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in Schaffhausen. Jones wanted to pair progressive American production techniques with the craftsmanship of Swiss watchmakers.

In 1885, the brand introduced its innovative Pallweber pocket watches with cutting-edge digital display for hours and minutes, and later on towards the end of the 19th century, they launched their first wristwatches with the 64-calibre ladies’ pocket watch movement.

In 1936, the first Special Pilot’s Watch was launched, featuring a rotating bezel with an arrowhead index and antimagnetic escapement. Three years later, two Portuguese importers ordered a series of wristwatches with the precision of marine chronometers. The Portuguese watch (now known as the Portugieser) was then unveiled with a 74-calibre hunter pocket watch movement in a wristwatch case.

14 years later, technical director Albert Pellaton designed the 85 calibre which featured IWC’s first proprietory automatic winding mechanism and in 1955, the self-winding Ingenieur was launched. That same year, Hans Ernst Homberger became the last private owner of IWC before it was acquired by German instrument manufacturer VDO Adolf Schindling AG in 1978.

To celebrate the company’s 125th anniversary, IWC produced what was then the world’s most complicated mechanical wristwatch in a limited edition of 125 pieces. Complications featured in the watch included a tourbillon, minute repeater and perpetual calendar.

In 2000, IWC was acquired by the Richemont group, which it remains with till the present day.

KEY WATCHES

Pilot’s Watch

Introduced in 1936, this collection gained immense popularity for its instrument-inspired appearance and provided the inspiration for the Mark 11 watches built for the Royal Air Force.

Portugieser

First launched in 1939 at the request of two Portuguese businessmen who wanted the precision of a marine chronometer on their wrist, this collection is famed for being ahead of its time with its generous case size.

Ingenieur

An auto-inspired collection, the anti-magnetic Ingenieur watches were made for those who worked in environments with strong magnetic fields.

Da Vinci

As an homage to the celebrated artist, the Da Vinci collection features innovations that are ahead of its time, including a watch in a high-tech case of coloured ceramic.

Portofino

Named after the former fishing village near Genoa, the Portofino was launched in the late 1970s as a simple classic pocket watch-style wristwatch.

BRAND HISTORYEstablished in 1892, the American brand’s story began in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. In 1912, the company decided to send accurate watches to those working on the railroads as accidents were very common during that time due to different railroads working with over 50 different times. The pocket watches then became known as ‘The watch of Railroad accuracy’.

Two years later, Hamilton started supplying timepieces to the US Armed Forces, and in 1919, a Hamilton aeronautical watch went along on the very first American airmail postal service between Washington and New York. By the 1930s, Hamilton was the official timekeeper of choice for commercial airlines in the United States.

During the Second World War, the company took a break from producing consumer watches to focus on providing the armed forces with one million watches. During this time, they created the Hamilton marine chronometers—the first to be created by modern manufacturing. Throughout the war, they produced 10,902 marine chronometers that met the requirements for being both accurate and reliable. As the only company that could provide this support, they were rewarded with a US Army-Navy ‘E’ Award for excellence in production of military equipment.

The brand is also famous for its appearance in movies and is the biggest supplier of watch props to the Hollywood movie industry. 1951 marked the first movie appearance in The Frogmen, an Oscar-nominated movie about US naval divers during World War II. Since then, Hamilton watches have appeared in movies like Elvis Presley’s Blue Hawaii, Men In Black, Independence Day and Interstellar.

KEY WATCHES

Jazzmaster

Classic and elegant, the Jazzmaster collection combines both innovation and modernity.

Khaki

The military Khaki collection includes the Field, Aviation and Navy families for land, air and sea missions.

Ventura

This collection made history as the world’s first electrical, battery powered watch. Its unique triangular case shape pays tribute to the original 1957 model.

BRAND HISTORYBased in Switzerland’s Les Breuleux, the Richard Mille brand was established by its eponymous founder in 1999 with Audemars Piguet as one of its shareholders. The latter’s luxury watchmaking division, Audemars Piguet Renaud et Papi makes some of Richard Mille’s most complicated movements. The brand’s first watch, the RM 001 Tourbillon, was launched in 2001.

Richard Mille’s watches combine technical innovation with architecture and artistry, with attention to details from the shape of the screws to the construction of the movement. The brand is also known for its many collaborations with sports personalities like Rafael Nadal, Felipe Massa and Bubba Watson, creating and naming timepieces for them.

In 2007, Richard Mille was awarded the prestigious ‘Aiguille d’Or’ award for the RM012, which was two years in the making. This revolutionary timepiece was the first ever with baseplate and bridges in steel and titanium tubes. The winding barrel, tourbillon case and going train were made with the aluminium alloy, Anticorodal 100 (AlMgSi1), selected for its corrosion resistance, strength and ability to absorb vibrations. The timepiece was created in a limited edition of 30 pieces.

KEY WATCHES

RM 27-01

While not the brand’s first collaboration with tennis star, Rafael Nadal (it’s an upgrade to the original RM 27 watch made for him), it’s one of the lightest in the world, weighing just 19g thanks to the use of carbon nanotubes.

RM 50-02 ACJ

In partnership with Airbus Corporate Jets, Richard Mille launched this tourbillon split seconds chronograph. Made with grade 5 titanium, the watch features parts with a special aeronautical coating used to protect engine and chassis parts from corrosion.

RM 67-01

Using the new calibre CRMA6, just 3.6mm thick, this timepiece sees an extreme skeletonisation to create visual depth in the movement. The numerals were created in solid metal and mounted on two linked titanium rails attached to the movement.

BRAND HISTORYLongines was founded in 1832 by Auguste Agassiz, and has been based in Saint-Imier since its establishment. The company came into prominence in 1867, the year it debuted its first in-house movement the 20A, which won an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris the same year.

Growing from strength to strength, Longines subsequently became one of the pioneers that spearheaded mechanised production in Swiss watchmaking, leading to milestones such as the creation of award-winning certified chronometers, shaped movements for wristwatches, and pilot’s watches used by aviation pioneers including Charles A. Lindberg.

In 1983, the company was acquired by a conglomerate that eventually became the Swatch Group. Longines is now known for its range of refined mid-luxury timepieces, as well as involvement as official timekeeper in numerous sports, including gymnastics, tennis and equestrian sports.

KEY WATCHES

Heritage

Inspired by archive models from the 1920s to the 1970s, this collection brims with nostalgic designs.

Master

Classic and office-appropriate range of timepieces powered by mechanical movements, including complications such as chronographs and world timers.

Equestrian

A ladies’ range inspired by Longines’ association with equestrian sports, the watches are distinguished by case shapes that recall elements of horse riding appendages.

DolceVita

An elegant ladies’ range distinguished by its silm and elongated cases, and refined style.

BRAND HISTORYBreitling was founded in 1884 by Léon Breitling, who started a workshop specialising in pocket watch chronographs and precision counters. The brand’s affinity with the chronograph complication and tool-timekeepers was established right from the start, and further cemented when Léon’s son, Gaston, took over the company and introduced several pioneering innovations. They included the first chronograph wristwatch in 1915, and improvements to the complication such as an independent chronograph pusher (1923) and return-to-zero pusher (1934).

It was also during Gaston’s tenure that Breitling began forging ties with pilots and the world of aviation, resulting in close-knit partnerships that continue to define Breitling and inspire its timepieces to this day. In 2009, Breitling introduced its first in-house movement, the Calibre B01, and has gone on to develop more proprietary calibres since.

From being the official supplier of timekeeping instruments to the Royal Air Force in the 1930s, to the creation of watches like the Chronomat, Navitimer and Emergency, which feature hardy, innovative and practical features suited to the rigours of adventure and professional use – all boasting COSC certification – Breitling is a brand that takes its ‘Instruments For Professionals’ motto seriously.

KEY WATCHES

Navitimer

A fan favourite, the Navitimer chronograph was introduced in 1952 and is recognised by its slide rule that can perform various calculations such as ground speed and miles per minute, rate of climb or descent, and gas consumption.

Breitling For Bentley

Breitling’s longstanding collaboration with the British car brand that started in 2003 has led to the creation of a variety of models spanning chronographs to GMT watches (pictured).

Avenger Bandit

This chronograph hails from the Avenger line, known for its multifaceted appeal. It features a stenciled 24-hour dial display, which references time read-offs favoured by the military.

Emergency

The two models in this collection, Emergency I and II, are among Breitling’s most utilitarian creations, wired with emergency locator transmitters that send out distress signals that have actually helped adventurers in life-threatening situations.

BRAND HISTORYTudor Watch Company was established by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1926 as a diffusion brand of sorts, offering a similar style and quality of timepieces as Rolex, but at a more affordable price point by using ETA-based movements instead of in-house calibres.

In its formative years, Tudor was admittedly languishing in the shadows of its more illustrious sister brand, despite a well-received repertoire such as the Oyster Prince, Advisor and ‘Big Block’ Chronograph collections.

Since 2010, Tudor started forging a more distinct identity; expressing an aesthetic and technical spirit that is independent and separate from Rolex. This forward thrust was enabled by the creation of several best-selling, sports-inspired lines such as the Heritage Chronograph, Pelagos, Ranger, and Black Bay. In 2015, Tudor made yet another important stride towards horological prominence with the debut of its first in-house movement, the automatic-winding, COSC-certified MT6521.

KEY WATCHES

Black Bay

Launched in 2013 and inspired by Tudor’s 1950s dive watches, the Black Bay is now Tudor’s best-selling collection, with a variety of case material choices spanning black PDV to bronze.

BRAND HISTORYJaeger-LeCoultre’s history can be traced back to the 16th century, when Pierre LeCoultre settled in the village of Le Sentier to escape religious persecution. The horological lineage, however, started officially in 1833, when Pierre’s descendant, Antoine LeCoultre invented a machine that could fashion watch pinions from steel, and started a small watchmaking workshop where he subsequently conceived more epochal inventions, including the Millionometre and keyless winding system.

The official Jaeger-LeCoultre company came into being in 1937, when Antoine’s grandson, Jacques-David, collaborated with a French watchmaker, Edmond Jaeger, to develop and produce ultra-thin movements that the latter had invented.

The founders’ spirit of innovation and technical excellence has defined the company to this day. Since its founding Jaeger-LeCoultre, has remain a true watch Manufacture that is capable of conceiving and constructing its timepieces entirely in-house, and has produced over 1,200 proprietary watch movements and registered over 400 patents.

KEY WATCHES

Reverso

Originally created for polo players in 1931, the Reverso is distinguished by its reversible case and is Jaeger-LeCoultre’s most iconic collection.

Rendez-Vous

Dedicated to women, the Rendez-Vous watches are known for their artisanal beauty and visually enticing technical complications.

Duomètre

As the name implies, the Duomètre range of complications are known for its movements, that house two independent mechanisms driven by a single regulating organ for optimal precision and energy efficiency.

Master

Inspired by early 20th century ultra-thin watches, Master collection spans simple automatic models to high complications that are aesthetically rooted in classical codes that express elegance and sobriety.

BRAND HISTORYSeiko’s history dates back to 1881, when its founder Kintaro Hattori opened his first shop selling jewellery and watches in Tokyo. A decade later, he started manufacturing clocks, and subsequently pocket watches, under the brand name Seikosha. The company is also credited with making Japan’s first wristwatch when it debuted the Laurel in 1912.The Laurel marked a series of first for the company, which eventually rolled out timepieces under the Seiko name in 1924. Among the brand’s key milestones include the Astron from 1969, one of the earliest production quartz watch collections. The Astron was instrumental in opening the floodgate for affordable and precise electronic wristwatches – a development that almost wiped out the Swiss mechanical watch trade in the 1970s. Another well-known proprietary technology is the Spring Drive. Conceived in the 1970s but only seeing the light of day in 2005, the Spring Drive is a hybrid movement using a mechanical mainspring to power quartz-based timekeeping components.

KEY WATCHES

Grand Seiko

The pinnacle of Seiko’s watchmaking prowess with both mechanical and quartz offerings.

Astron

Pioneering GPS-enabled solar power watch with automatic time-setting across various time zones.

BRAND HISTORYTAG Heuer was founded in 1860 by Edouard Heuer in St-Imier, Switzerland. The company started as Uhernmanufaktur Heuer AG (Heuer Watchmaking Inc.), and was acquired by Luxembourg-based conglomerate, TAG Group, in 1985. The brand TAG Heuer is an amalgamation of the founder’s surname and the TAG company name, which is short for ‘Techniques d’Avant Garde’. In 1999, luxury conglomerate LVMH took over the brand and is now helmed by Jean-Claude Biver.

TAG Heuer is synonymous with sports timekeeping. Since the late 19th century, the company introduced a number of pioneering innovations, including chronographs for both instrument panel dashboards and wrists, the first stopwatches accurate to 1/100th of a second, the first automatic chronographs, and the belt-driven Calibre V movement.

TAG Heuer is also very active in sports partnerships. It is the official timekeeper and watch of the English Premier League, as well as one of its best-supported clubs, Manchester United; the German Bundesliga; the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 Team; FIA World Touring Car Championship, amongst others.

KEY WATCHES

Aquaracer

Aquaracer is a watersports-inspired range of timepieces. Sporty yet sleek, they are distinguished by unidirectional rotating bezels with 10-minute markers that recall dive watches, and water resistance that span 300m to 500m.

Carrera

Conceived in 1963 as a tri-compax chronograph in a round case, the Carrera has been a canvas for some of TAG Heuer’s most groundbreaking innovations, including the Carrera Heuer 02-T, billed as the world’s most affordable Swiss-made tourbillon at US$15,000.

Connected Watch

Launched in 2016, the Connected Watch is TAG Heuer’s foray into smartwatches, developed in partnership with Intel and Google. Powered by Android Wear, the watch comes with 4GB of storage and 1GB of RAM, a custom Intel Atom Z34XX chip plus an upgrade to a special edition mechanical Carrera after two years.

Monaco

Introduced in 1969 to commemorate the Monaco Grand Prix, the watch is known for its square case and housed the world’s first automatic chronograph movement. In 1973, Steve McQueen wore the watch in the film Le Mans, which further popularised the collection.

Formula 1

The entry-level Formula 1 collection was the first to be released under the TAG Heuer name in 1986. Despite the watches’ analogue interface, the Formula 1 timepieces all run on quartz movements.

BRAND HISTORY Founded in 1946 by an engineer named Tadao Kashio, Casio’s first breakthrough product was a finger ring cigarette holder which was so successful the profits helped propel the company’s future as an electronic goods manufacturer. Its first venture into wristwatches came by way of the G-Shock in 1983. The watch became a worldwide phenomenon for its incorporation of ultra-precise quartz technology with super-robust functionality, anchored by a ‘Triple 10’ performance concept – 10-bar water resistance, 10-year battery life, and shock-resistance that can withstand a 10-metre drop. Discover more here.

What is Baselworld?An annual watch and jewellery show, Baselworld brings together approximately 1,500 exhibitors from watchmakers and jewellers to gem producers and machinery suppliers. The world's largest exposition of its kind, the history of BaselWorld dates back to 1925, when a section of the Schewiezer Mustermesse Basel trade fair was dedicated to watch and jewellery brands.